Sheet-feeding machine.



L. MIDDLEDITCH.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1914.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

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SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1914.

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SHEET FEEDING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1914.

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SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

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L. MIDDLEDITCH.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLE JULY 6,1914.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

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SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

.APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1 914.

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sitar LYMAN MIDDLEDITCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Hebe 5, limit Application filed July 6, 1914. Serial No. 849,285. a

top sheet is separated from a pile of superimposed sheets.

In the type of sheet individualizing ma chines in which combing means are employed, it has been found that the combing action. though uniform, will produce a varying effect on different grades of paper, that is to say, one grade of paper will respond quite readily to the combing action while another grade of paper will respond more sluggishly. Furthermore, even when the combing device is working on the same grade of paper the combing effect will be different at different times and a varying number of sheets will. be moved during a given period, owing to the presence of electricity and to variation in air distribution between the sheets.

Heretofore it has been necessary in pile feeders employing combing means when changing from one kind of paper to another to vary the distance between the end of the pile and the point to which the sheets have to be combed, in order to obtain as nearly a uniform separation as possible. Irregularitics due to electricity and air distribution have not heretofore been compensated for.

One object of the present invention is to obviate the necessity of such adjustment and to automatically produce as near as may be a uniform separation of the sheets under all conditions.

Accordingly one feature of the invention resides in a combing means for separating the sheets from the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, together with automatic means for maintaining the average distance of separation between adjacent separated sheets substantially uniform notwithstamling irregularities in the combing clients on the sheets. Or to put it dilferently: means are provided for maintaining a substantially constant average number of sheets separated from the pile. In carrying out this feature of the invention 1 cmploy controlling means to advance the prcviously separated sheets without separating more sheets from the pile.

in the present embodiment of the inveir tion the sheet is first combed out and is then presented with its rear end or trailing edge to the sheet feeding off devices which oven hang the pile and which. are. raised and lo wered in order to permit the combing means to separate the sheets from the pile and to move the same from underneath said sheet feeding oft devices. In this type of construction another object of the invention is to simplify the structure of the sheet feeding ott means and the controlling means for the pile elevating means. This is accomplished by combining and interrelating said controlling means and the sheet feeding oif devices.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide suitable tripping means for rendering the machine as a whole inactive without cutting off power. This object is carried out o by providing means for rendering the combing means and the sheet feeding oft means inactive, the resultant effect of which is that no sheets will be fed and consequently the sheet upport will not be elevated.

Other features of construction, combina tion of parts and. arrangement of elements will appear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings the inven tion is embodied in a concrete and preferred form but changes of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the appei'ided claims.

In the said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. machine embodying the invention showing the sheet support carried by the endless members.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking at the other side of. the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. with parts in section. to the extent that the inner framework and adjacent elements have been removed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fi g. 1.

Fig. t is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line l--l of Fig. 1., showing more particularly the pile elevating moans ..iary carrier of the elevating device and the combining mechanism omitted.

F 1g. 6 1s a horizontal sectional v1ew of the far side of-the n'iachine substantially on the irregular line 66 of Fig. 1 with the main carrier of the elevating device omitted. I

Fig. 7 is a sectionalview on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a view on the line 88 of Fig. 7, with parts broken away. 7

Fig. 9 is a view on the line 99 of Fig.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 10 10 of Fig. 4. I

Fig..11 is a sectional view on the line 111l of Fig. 7.

Fig. 12'is a sectional view on the line 1212 of Fig 7.

Fig. 13 is a detail view in side elevation of the combing means employed.

Fig. 1a is a view similar to Fig. 13 but' with parts in section and removed for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the combing wheel drive.

Figs. 16, 17, 1S and 19 are detail views of the combing wheel lifting and lowering mechanism.

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing the separation of the sheets from the pile, and

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing the combing interval and the interval during which thecontrolling member acts to prevent the combing means from separating more sheets from the pile. V

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

I 1 indicates a framework of any suitable construction consisting mainly of uprights and longitudinal and transverse connecting bars. 2 indicates a sheet support sustaining a pile of sheets 3. Near one end of the pile of sheets, in this instance the rear end, is

combing means i indicated by the combing wheel- 100; This combing wheel is pref erably driven continuously and is raised and lowered at regular intervals by means of the bar 5 actuated'by the bell crank G which in turn receives motion through connections 7 from the cam lever 8 mounted loosely on the shaft 9 and actuated by the cam 10 on the cam shaft 11: This combing wheel is also adapted to be moved out of engagement With the pile at any time the sheetadvances into the throat 12 and engages the trigger 13 so that as soon as the sheet has been combed a sufiicient distance the combing wheel will be elevated. Tn other words, there are means provided for causingthe combing means to operatively engage the pile at a definite time during each cycle of operations and to disengage the pile a predetermined period thereafter, together with means controlled by the advance of the top sheet for varying the duration of the combing interval. And in the preferred form here shown it will be observed that the operative engagement and disengagement of the combing wheel with the pile is effected by lifting and lowering the combing wheel, but I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to this method of cansing the combing wheel to operatively engage and disengage the sheets.

Located at the forward end of the pile. is a controlling means for permittin the combing means to advance the previously separated sheets without separating more sheets from the pile. This controlling means here takes the form of a clamp 14 mounted upon the rod 15 which is carried by the upright spindle 16 held in suitable b arings 17 and surrounded by an expansion spring 18 acting between the lower bearing 17 and the collar 19 and normally tending to keep the clamp in its uppermost position out of engagement with the pile. Any suitable means may be utilized for the purpose of lowering this clamp. In the present instance a cam 20 on the cam shaft 11 imparts motion to a cam lever 21 loosely mounted on the shaft 9 and connected to another arm 22 which carries a projection 23 engaging with the arm 24. secured to the lower end of the rod 16. A spring 25 serves to keep the cam roll of the cam lever 21 in engagement with the cam 20. The rotation of the cam 20 will cause the arm 22 to be depressed thereby lowering the clamp l-t into engagement with the pile with a suflicient tension to substantially prevent a movement of any sheets which are underneath this clamp.

Referring to the diagram Fig. 20 A rep resents the distance between the end of the pile and the trigger 13. that is to say. it represents the distance that each sheet has to be combed. The amount of separation between sheets. which I have indicated by 13, depends upon the number of sheets combed. and in fact varies inversely as the number of sheets affected by the combing means. Referring to the diagram Fig. 21 the circle represents the cycle of operations. X represents the time at which the clamp or controlling mcn'iber 14 is lowered into engagement with the pile. Y indicates the time at which the combing means operatively engage the pile. Z indicates the. time. at which the clamp 1-lrises and \V represents the end of the longest possible comb ing interval, that is to say, the moment at which the. timed member 5 will raise the coi'nbing wheel. it will be observed that when the combingmeans operalively engage the pile, the controlling member ll is in in gagemcnt with the pil: and that therefore no new sheets will be separated from the pile. When the sheets comb too close, that is to say, too many sheets are separated from .the main. pile, the con' bing means do not stay in engagement with the pile as long as when the sheets are separated by a greater distance, or in other words, when less sheets are moved by the combing action. The combing means must remain in operative engagement with the paper, on the average, a little longer than the controlling me1nber 14 is in engagement with the pile, else no sheets except those which are already separated or clear of the clamp will be moved by the combing means. If the combing means engage the pile operatively for a periodlonger than the period during which the clamp 14- is effective, they will automaticall y furnish lllQHlSQlVGS with more sheets to work on, that is to say, they will not only advance previously separated sheets but also separate more sheets from the pile. It will further be observed that if the action of the combing means ceases before the clamp 14 disongages the pile, the number of sheets which the combing means advances diminishes by one during each cycle as each sheet is removed from the pile. It will thus be seen that there is a combing interval represented by the time from Y to X, during which the combing means cannot trip on the average; I therefore have a correspondingly regulated number of sheets moved and thus a regulated and substantially uniform separation. v

For the purpose of setting forth this action more clearly I have distinguished between the two effects which the combing means have on the paper, namely, that of separating a sheet from the pile, by which is meant bringing it out from under the influence of the clamp 14, and advancing ,plGYlOllSlY separated sheets, by' which is meant the action of the combing means on the sheets outside the influence of the clamp 14 while the latter is in engagement with the remainder of the pile.

26 denotes upright feed screws of the usual type which act in a known manner by their rotation to elevate a sheet support. These screws are provided with miter gears 27 at their upper ends with which mesh the corresponding miter gears 28 on the horizontal and transversely extending shaft 29. The shaft 29 carries a ratchet 30 with which engages a pawl 31, said pawl being mounted on a lever 32 loosely supported on the shaft 29 and being connected by means of the rod 33 to the crank 34 mounted on the shaft 11. This construction by itself will cause the pawl 31 to engage a new tooth in the ratchet 30 once to each revolution of the shaft 11, thereby imparting a rotating 1110- tion to the elevating screws 26. Carried by the arm 32 is an abutment 35 with. which ongages a stop 36 to prevent the pawl 31 from turning the ratchet 30. This stop member 36 is pivoted on the framework at 37 and has passing through it a rod 38 which is connected by means of the arm 39 to a controlling member or shaft 40, which shaft is suitably mounted in bearings in the framework and adapted to be oscillated in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The controlling member or shaft 40 carries an arm 41 rigidly attached thereto and provided with a rotatable member 42 here sh own as a gear. Mounted loosely on said shaft 40 are two sleeves 43 to which are rigidly attached pile engaging members 44. Also connected to the said loosely supported sleeves 43 are the two racks 45 which together with the gear 42 serve as equalizing means as will presently appear. 46 indicates a rocker arm mounted loosely on the shaft 40 and receiving its motion from the cam 47 on the cam shaft 11. This arm 46 carries an abutment 48 which engages the gear 42 or rather a knurled extension 49 thereof. Once to each cycle of the machine the cam 47 will cause the abutment 48 to engage the knurled portion 49, thereby carrying the gear 42 with it and rocking the shaft 40 in an upward direction. It will be observed that during this movement the gear 42 is unable to rotate on account of the engagement of the knurled portion 49 with the abutment 48. Consequently it constitutes a lock with respect to the racks 45 and will carry the latter and thus the loose sleeves 43 and the pile engaging members 44 with it. This occurs during the period that the combing means are'acting on the pile. When the abutment member 48 begins to lower, the shaft 40, as well as the sleeves 43, pile engaging members 44, gear 42 and racks 45 will descend. The descent of these parts will, however, be checked when the pile engaging members reach the pile, the cam 47 imparting a suliicient stroke to permit the abutment 48 to descend below the point at which the pile engaging members engage the pile, and thus check the downward movement of the gear 42. If the pile should be higher on one side than on the,

other, one pile engaging member will come in contact with the pile before the other one, but the continued descent of the other pile engaging member will cause a rotation of i the gear 4-2 which will be imparted to the pile engaging member already in engagement with the pile and thus cause through the racks 45 and gear 42 a turning movement of the shaft 40 the limit of which is governed by the mean height of the pile or of the two pile engaging members. When a certain number of sheets have been removed from the pile the descent of the pile engaging members will eventually turn the j rotate the elevating screws. support has been ralsed sufficiently to comspring 50.

shaft 40 sufficiently to cause it to move the stop 36'out of' engagement with the abutment 35 thereby permitting the crank 34 to When the sheet In the present instance the sheet feeding off means are combined with the controlling means for the pile elevating mecha-' nism just described in the following manner: Each pile engaging member carries a friction roller 51 and has further connected to it a slide 52 which slide is held in position by the guide 53 and has suitable motion imparted thereto by means of the arm 54% mounted fast on the shaft 9 and connected to said slide by means of a rod and slot 55. The arm 54; is actuated by means of the cam 56 on the cam shaft 11.which imparts its motion to the cam roller carried by the arm 57, which latter in turn is mounted fast on the shaft 9. Pivotally'mounted on the slide 52 is a lifter finger 58whose pivot is at 59 and which is'formed with a cam-shaped portion that rides over a pin 60 mounted on the pile engaging member 44. Thus the reciprocation of the slide 52 will cause the lifterfinger to slide over the pile and underneath the top sheet and to lift said sheet and present it to feeding off rolls as Will presently appear. Mounted above the pile engaging members a4 is a pivoted carriage or support 61 whose pivotal point of support is at 62 and which carries at its outer end a positively driven roll 63 which is in engagement with the friction roller 51, the

. said carriage 61 further being provided with another positivelydriven roll 64 to which the sheet is presented by the lifter finger 58. Motion is imparted to therolls '63 and 64; by means of a train of gears mounted on the carriage 61, which train of gears is indicated by the general reference character 65, whereby it will be seen that the said rolls will be driven positively irrespective of the'position of the carriage 61 with relation to its center of support 62. In order to start the sheet gradually when it is presented to the roller 64 by the lifter finger 58,

an eccentric gear 66 is provided which gives a variable motion to the roller 64 and has the effect of gradually accelerating its speed until the speed of the sheet is up to that of the roller 63 when it is removed out of the machineby these and other rollers which need not be described. The gear 66 is mounted on. an arm 200 pivotally supported extend in over the pile and up over which the sheets travel. After a sheet has been combed rcarwardly the lifter finger 58 advances and lifts the top sheet upwardly into engagement with the roller 64: which grips it and moves it into engagement with the rollers 51 and 623, after which the upward movement of the pile engaging members H raises the carriage 61 so as to permit another sheet to be combed rearward meanwhile removing the top sheetuninterruptcdly out through the machine.

If it is desired to trip the machine with out cutting off the power the throw-rod 68 is actuated either by the tripping member of a printing machine in a well-known manner, or by hand, until the dog 69 drops into the aperture 70 of the connecting rod 7. This dog 69 is mounted loosely on the pivot 71 and is connected thereto by means of the spring 7 2 which is secured to the post 73 on said dog and to the post 74 on the shaft or pivot 71 the dog 69 being provided with a slot 75 whereby a uniform movement is imparted to the said dog 69 when the throw rod 68 is actuated. A connection between the throw-rod 68 and the shaft 71 is in the form of an arm 76. When the dog 69 falls into the aperture 7 0 of the connecting rod 7 the spring 7 7 which is connected to the arm 78 moving with the arm 8 can no longer draw back the cam roll carried by the arm 8 into engagement with the low portion of the cam 10, and hence the combing wheel 100 will remain elevated. hen the dog 69 drops into the aperture 70 of the connecting rod 7 it also moves into a position whereby the projection 79 comes in front of the member 80 mounted fast on the shaft 9 whereby the cam 56 will be prevented from moving the arms 57 and 54, and hence the slide 52 will not be actuated and the sheet will not be lifted into engagement with the friction roller 64.

r The operation of the throw-rod 68 therefore stops the action of the combing wheel and stops the action of the sheet feeding off device and since no sheets are removed the pile elevating mechanism will of course likewise stop.

The pile elevating mechanism is in the present instance particularly designed to facilitate the replenishing of the pile. As here shown the machine is provided with centrally disposed upright columns 81 one if on each side of the machine, with which engage the friction rollers 82 suitably supported on the main carrier 83. The elevating screws 26 pass through the main carrier 88 and into the threaded bushing 84.- thereof. This threaded bushing 84 is connected by a clutch portion 85 to a spiral gear 86 loosely snrroumling the screw 26. Engaging with the spiral gear 86 is another spiral gear 87 mounted. on a shaft 88 suit- El U ably supported on the carrier 83. Suitable means such as the clamp 89 are provided for preventing the shaft 88 and consequently the spiral gears 87 and 86 from rotating. hen this occurs the sleeve 84: will likewise be held against rotation and consequently the rotation of the screw 26 will cause the carrier 83 to rise or descend, depending upon the direction of rotation given to the screws 26. It will be observed that a handle 90 is provided 011 the shaft 29 whereby the screws 26 may be rotated manually in either direction. If, however, the clamping device 89 is adjusted to permit the shaft 88 to rotate, the rotation of the screw 26 will have no effect upon the carrier 83. The shaft 88 is provided with a handle 91 which when actuated, the shaft 88 being free to rotate, will permit the carrier 83 to be moved up or down irrespective of the retation of the screws 26, since the rotation of the shaft 88 will be transmitted through the spiral gears 87 and 86 to the freely rotatable sleeve 84:.

The upright column 81 is provided with a recess 92 in which is located a gear 93 mounted on the shaft 94. carried in suitable bearings on the framework, which gear 93 is in engagement with the upright screws 26. Carried by the shaft 94 are the sprockets 95 having the endless chains or unembers 96. Removable bars 97 running from one side of the machine to the other and having hooks 98 at their outer ends are placed upon oppositely disposed chains and thus act as an auxiliary carrier for sustaining the sheet support 2. It will be noted that these chains are driven from the screws 26. After the sheet support 2 is sustained by the auxiliary carrier the main carrier 88 may be returned to its lowermost position and another pile placed thereon ready to take the place of the one which is being acted upon by the sheet separating devices.

The combing device is preferably constructed as follows:

100 is a combing wheel adapted to be raised and lowered by means of an eccentric. As here shown the eccentric 101 is loosely carried on a shaft 102 and directly mounts the combing wheel 100. The said combing wheel 100 is given, in the present instance, a continuous rotating motion from the shaft 1.02, irrespective of the up or down position of said wheel, by means of a pin and slot connection, such as the spider 103 fast on the shaft 102 and the pins 104 car ried by the combing wheel. The shaft 102 is hung in a bracket or frame 105 carried by two pairs of arms 106, one of which arms constitutes a gear casing supporting the gears 107 which transmit motion from the shaft 108 to the shaft 102. The two pairs of arms 106 are arranged one above the other, The lower arms 106 are loosely supported on the shaft 108, while the upper arms 106 are supported on a pivot 109 so as to move in parallelism. 110 is a station ary rack on the framework into which the pawl 111 drops when the combing wheel is lifted so as to prevent the arms 106 of the frame from turning around the shaft 108 and pivot 109. By the foregoing means, it will be observed, that only the combing wheel proper is lifted and lowered, and that the weight of the frame including the arms 106 is sustained by the rack 110.

Any suitable means may be employed for shifting the eccentric bushing 101, but the particular means here employed involve in themselves new and valuable features capable of use independently of the eccentric bushing 101.

112 is a spring connected at one end to the stationary framing and at its other end to a link 113 which is secured to the eccentric 101. This spring constantly urges the eccentric 101 in one direction, viz: in a direction to lift the combing device. This spring may be considered as a lifting actuator or as an auxiliary actuating device for lifting the combing wheel. Means are provided for normally restraining the action of this spring, which means may be, and in the present instance are, a timed mechanism. The said timed mechanism may act to shift the eccentric bushing in both directions to raise and lower the combing wheel in timed relation with the other moving parts of the machine, or it may act merely to lower the combing'wheel in timed relation, leaving the work of raising the combing wheel to the spring 112, the action of which latter it restrains until the sheet has been combed rearwardly a suflicient distance.

The said timed mechanism may take many forms, but in the present instance a controller 111 is employed connected at one end to the arms 115 of the eccentric bushing 101 and receiving its motion from the rockshaft 116 by means of the armlll', rod 118 and rocker arm 119, the latter of which is pivoted at 120 on thecombing wheel frame and connected to the controller 114.- at the point 121. The periodic rocking of the rockshaft 116 will thus raise and lower the com] ing wheel in timed relation with the other parts of the machine, and will restrain the action of the spring 112. The rockshaft 116 is mounted above the rotating shaft 108, and may be rocked in any suitable manner. In the form here shown it receives its motion from the cam 10, lever 8 having cam roll, link 7, bell crank 6, lifter bar 5 and upright .link 122 having roll 123 resting on lifter bar 5. 122 is carried by two arms, one 121 being pivoted loosely on the rotating shaft 108 and the other 125 being secured to the rockshaft 116.

Suitable means are provided for breaking the connection between the eccentric bushing 101 and the timed actuating mechanism. In the present instance the controller 114 is composed of two telescoping members, one a casing 126 and the other a sliding member 127, sliding in said casing. These two members are connected by mcans'of two locking members 128 and 129 in the form of hooks which constitute a releasable connection between the eccentric bushin '101 and the a gear. 131. carried on a stud 135 in the 7 20 arms 115 of the eccentric bushing. Meshing with the'gear 131 is a gear 136 mounted on a stud'l37 on the sliding member 127. On this same stud 137 is mounted the hook 129. The gear 136 drives the gear 132, which latter is mounted on the hook 129. 1t will be un :derstood that when the filling member 131 is brought into the plane of the teeth of gear 132, that the latter will draw said member 131 against the abutment 130. The continued rotation of'gear 132 will then cause the hook 129 to turn around its pivot 137 therebydisengaging the hooks 128 and 120. This will release the eccentric 101 from the restraining influence of the timed mechanism, and will permit the springs 112 to assertits power causing the eccentric to be shifted quickly at a speed greater than the speed of the timed mechanism and causing the sliding member 127 to slide in the casing 126. The combing wheel will thus be lifted quickly. At the same time the cam surface 138 on the sliding member 127 will pass beyond the point where the sliding rod 139 connected to pawl 111, is located, thereby permitting the spring M0 to turn the pawlv 111 on its pivot 111 to engage the rack 110.

The casing 126 under the influence of the timed mechanism now descends until the hooks 128 and 129 interlock, the springllQ the rod 139 and disengage the from the rack 110.

restoring them to their interlocked position. As the casing 127 and sliding member 128 now ascend, the eccentric bushing 101 will be turned to lower the combing wheel into L contact with the pile. As the said member 127 ascends, the cam face 138 will engage pawl 111 The means for bringing the filling member. into the path of the rotating member 132 will vary, but as herein shown they consist of a sheet controlled trigger 13 suspend ed in thc'path of the sheets; preferably im mediately in rear of the combing wheel and in the same phine longitudinally of the machinc. In detail, abracket 113 is provided suitably secured to the combing wheel. frame. Carried by this bracket are upper and lower guides 114i forming a throat into which the sheets are combed. Carried by the bracket 113 is a support 1 15 through which slides rod 1e16, Adjustably mounted on this rod 116 is the trigger 13. Adjustably mounted on this rod 116 is further the stop 11-7. The rod 116 is connected to a two armed lever 1 18 mounted at 110 on the combing whecl frame. The lever 1418 is connected to the pivoted member 150 by means of the slotted link 151. The member 150 carries i'hc filling member 131. The member 150 is pivoted on the loose bracket 152, which latter is pivoted on the combing wheel frame at 1513. It pull string 15st normally holds the loose bracket 152 against the stop so that in case the filling member 131 should hit the top of a tooth on 4-8, the spring 151- will give, and hence the loose bracket 152, will yield in an upward direction. .156 is a spring for normally holding thc filling member 131 out of the path of the rotating member 132.

As the sheet is combed into the throat 14-4 it will eventually engage the trigger 13, thereby causing a movement of the sliding rod 126 through the support 115. This movement will be transmitted through the connections described to the filling member 131 which will thereby be brought within reach of the rotating member 132, and is thereafter carried, by the latter, into engagement with the abutment member 130. The trigger 13 also serves to register the tail end of the sheet, and the stop 1 17 and the said trigger 13 can be so adjusted that the said. stop 1 17 will not come in contact with the support 1&5 until some time after the combing wheel is tripped. The sheet will therefore continue to move, a short period after the combing wheel is tripped owing to its inertia, and when the stop 1 17 reaches the support 1 15 the sheet will be registered against the trigger 13. In this connection it is observed that, when the combing wheel.

lifts, the turning movement of the eccentric is in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the combing wheel. Each comb ing wheel is tripped independently of the other, but both are raised and lowered simultaneously by the timed mechanism.

The shafts 108 and 116, as well as the entire combing wheel mechanism, are supported in a carriage 157 which is provided with bushings 158 adapted to slide on the longitudinal frame rods 159. These frame rods 159 are provided with racks 160 adapted to be en aged by the pinions 161 on, the shaft 162 carried by the carriage 157. By rotating the knurled head 163 on shaft 162, the

carriage 157, and with it the entire combing mechanism can be adjusted. The shaft 108 is rotated by means of the miter gear 161- and lll) 165, the former of which is carried {by the shaft 108, and the other of which is mounted slidingly on the shaft 166, supported in the frame work, by means of a key 167.

lVhat is claimed, is:

1. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a support for a pile of superimposed sheets, combing means for separating a plurality of top sheets from the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, and controlling means for permitting the combing means to further advance previously separated sheets at a single comb without separating more sheets from the pile.

2. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a support for a pile of superimposed sheets combing means for separating a plurality of top sheets from the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, and controlling means for permitting the combing means to further advance previously separated sheets without separating more sheets from the pile during a predetermined period, the combing means acting thereafter both to separate sheets from the pile and to advance the separated sheets.

3. A sheet individuali'zing device comprising: a support for a pile of superimposed sheets, combing means for separating a plurality of top sheetsfrom the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, means controlled by the advance of the top sheet for varying the duration of the combing interval, and automatic means acting during a predetermined period of each combing interval for preventing the combing means from separating sheets from the pile while permitting it to further advance the previously separated sheets.

at. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a support for a pile of superimposed sheets, combing means for separating a plurality of top sheets from the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, means for causing the combing means to operatively ei'igage the pile at a definite time during each cycle of operations, means controlled by the advance of the top sheet for varying the duration of the combing interval, and automatic means acting during a predetermined period at the beginning of each combing inteiaal. for preventing the combing means from separating sheets from the pile while permitting it to further advance the previously separated sheets.

A sheet in di vidualizing device comprising: a support for a pile of superimposed sheets, combing means for separating a plurality of tvp sheets from the pile and for advancing the previously separated sheets, means for causing the combing means to operativclv engage the pile at a definite time during each cycle of operations, means con- (rolled by the advance of the top sheet for varying the combing interval, a clamp for engaging the pile at the rear of a plurality f previously separated sheets, and means for causing said clamp to engage the pile substantially not later than the beginning of the combing interval and to disengage the pile a definite period thereafter less than the longest possible combing interval.

6. i sheet iiulividualizing device comprising: a support for a pile of si'iperimposed sheets, combing means for separating a plurality of top sheets from the pile and for advancing the separated sheets, a clamp for engaging the pile at the rear of a plurality of previously separated sheets, and means for causing said clamp to engage the pile substantially not later than the beginning of the combing interval and to disengage the pile a definite period thereafter less than the combing interval.

7. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a sheet support, pile engaging means, means for lifting and lowering said pile engaging means, sheet feeding-off means adapted to be lifted and lowered with the pile engaging means, sheet combing means for moving the sheets away from under the pile engaging means while the latter is in its lifted position.

8. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a sheet support, automatic means for elevating said support, a controlling member for rendering the elevating means active or inactive as the case may be, pile engaging means connected to said controlling member, and sheet feeding-off means connected to the pile engaging means.

9. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a sheet support, automatic means for elevating said support, a controlling memher for rendering the elevating means active or inactive as the case may be, pile engaging means connected to said controlling member, means for lifting and lowering the pile engaging means, and sheet feedingeoff means adapted to be lifted and lowered with the pile engaging means.

10. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a sheet support, automatic means for elevating said support, a controlling member for rendering the elevating means active or inactive as the case may be, pile engaging means connected to said controlling member, sheet feedingoff means con nected to the pile engaging means, and means for moving the sheets from underneath the pile engaging means.

11. A sheet individualizing device comprising: a sheet support, automatic means for elevating said support, a controlling member for rendering the elevating means active or inactive as the case may be, pile engaging means connected to said controlling member, means for lifting and lowering the pile engaging means, sheet feeding-oft means adapted to be lifted and lowered with 

